CHICAGO (August 31, 2020) – The National Women’s Soccer League announced today that every game of the NWSL’s 2020 fall series will be available to stream internationally thanks to an expanded partnership with Twitch. Twitch will also exclusively stream seven games globally, including in the U.S., complimenting the most robust domestic broadcast offering in NWSL history.
The NWSL fall series begins on Saturday, September 5 and will include 18 matches over the course of seven weeks, featuring three, three-team pods that will all play one another and enable the league to minimize travel. Format and schedule for the NWSL fall series will be released soon.
“This summer’s Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret showcased the NWSL and our incredible athletes and clubs to an international audience that was absolutely invested in the unfolding stories on the screen. We exceeded every benchmark we set for our online audience and saw viewers utilize Twitch to watch our games around the world.” said NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird. “I’d like to thank Twitch for their continued investment in our league and the players that make it so exciting to watch, and I want to encourage sports fans around the globe to get online this fall and make the NWSL required viewing!”
“As we look ahead to the return of this historic season of the NWSL, we’re excited to welcome soccer fans from all over the world to Twitch to see their favorite players in action," said Jane Weedon, Head of New Verticals at Twitch. "Twitch is designed for people to share experiences – whether that’s celebrating an incredible goal or taking part in a virtual “wave” – and is the place for fans to connect with one another as they watch and cheer on their favorite teams throughout the 2020 NWSL fall series.”
The NWSL’s return to play protocols reflect the best practices previously developed by the NWSL Medical Task Force and successfully implemented during the Challenge Cup. Those protocols have been updated to reflect the reality of home-market matches and regional travel and will influence all league and club actions outside the field of play.
The three teams in each regional pod will each play four games. Those pods are:
West
OL Reign
Portland Thorns FC
Utah Royals FC
Northeast
Chicago Red Stars
Sky Blue FC
Washington Spirit
South
North Carolina Courage
Orlando Pride
Houston Dash
Detailed health and safety protocols for the fall series can be found here.
